Machine for



No. 609,209. Patented A ug. I6, |898.

- w. PAINTER. MACHINE Fon APP|. v|Ns coKs ANnsEALs' To oTTLEs. (Application med Apr. 22, 189s.; (NoModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet- I.

i Wl? W. PAI f ER. MACHINE FOR A'PPLYING C AND SEALS T0 BOTTLES, (Applitation filed Apr. 22, 189B.)

(No Model.)

Sheets-Sheet 2.

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NNE STATES PATENT v4(,)IEIEICI-E.

WILLIAM PAINTER, OE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIeNORTO TIIE CROWN CORK AND sEAL COMPANY, OE sAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CORKS AND SEALS TO BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,209, dated August 16, 1898.

Application filed April 2 2, 18 9 8.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PAINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Applying Corks and Seals to Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machin es for applying that form of closure `to bottles known as the crown-cork, in which a metallic lianged cap or crown containing a compressible sealing-disk is affixed over the mouth of the bottle by having its flange bent or set into intimate contact with a locking-shoulder on the Outside of the bottle-head, the aftixing operation bein g performed under pressure, so that the sealing-disk held within the flanged cap will be pressed rmly on the lip of the bottle and there held tightly by the cap to make a perfect seal.

The pressure to compress the'sealingdisk for a perfect sealing effect and to bend or close the flange of the cap into locking contact with the shoulders On the bottle can be very nicely determined for any given size of bottle; but it is found that in a lot of bottlesof a supposedly equal volume and length there are unavoidably small variations in the length, and the pressure which will eect perfect capping and sealing of one bottle will be disastrous when applied to a slightly-longer bottle, resulting in the breakage of the same and loss of its contents.

I aim to provide means for compensatingv for these variations in the lengths of the bot` tles, so that when the predetermined pressure is reached necessary to do the sealing and capping no more will be applied, notwithstandin g the fact that the bottles of `the given lot may vary somewhat as to lengths. In Letters Patent of the United States No. 473,776, granted to me April 26, 1892, I disclose a footpowcr machine by VAWhich i this capping and sealing is done. In this machine the effort required to compress the sealingdislr upon the top of the bottle-head and afiX the cap by bending its 'flange into contact with the locking-shoulder is readily graduated by the operator, so as to avoid break 5o ing of the bottle, the machine being so pro- Serial No. 678,531. (No model.)

portioned in its various parts as to keep the maximum pressure capable of being transmitted from the operator to the pressure device or head well within the limits of' safety.

; While the foot-power machine performs the capping and sealing with perfect results, it is desirable, in Order to secure rapid production of the Work and to economize labor, toprovide a machine capable of being run bysteam or any other desired power, and in such a machine it is indispensable to provide a limit beyond which the pressure increase.

It is therefore one of the objects of my present invention to provide a machine operated by steam or other extraneous power and having means for automatically limiting the pressure exerted in the sealing and capping operation to a predetermined degree, the said limit of pressure not being affected or changed by slight variations inthe length of the botties.

I further aim to provide certain means of adjustment whereby the limited pressure may be applied to different lots of bottlessuch, for instance, which vary as to their cubic contents, as for pints, quarts diro., and which vary too greatlyin their lengths to be compensated by the automatic pressure-limiting means.

plunger and a holder or table for the bottle,

l one of which is movable relatively to the other for` securing the desired pressure, combined with'means whereby when the pressure exerted reaches the desired or predetermined degree la release of one of the parts from its sustaining force is effected and said part is allowed to yield in order to prevent the application of further pressure to the bottlehead.

My invention includes also various features of construction andarrangement hereinafter fully' described and specificallyclaimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional View of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 is a plan view, of the same. Fig. l is a partial sectional vlew of the valve mechanism enlarged to show the parts more clearly.

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The bottle to which the `crown cork or seal is to be applied is placed upon a thick rubber disk t', located in a recess of the table K. It is centered, so as to be axially in line with the movable sealinghead a, by a guide bracket or arm f, adjustably secured by a set-screw f to the standard b. The bracket,

as shown in Fig. 3, is of V shape, and the bottle is positioned properly by bearing against the sides of the V-shaped portion.

The sealing-head a is substantially the same in construction as that disclosed by me in my prior patent, above referred to, and needs no particular description herein further than to state that it is secured firmly to the rod c by a nut d and is provided with a web or rib a', which passes between fork-arms e of a bracket e, said bracket being secured to the reduced upper end of the hollow standard b. The rod c reciprocates vertically through this standard and is operated from a crank g2 on the shaft g through alink c'. The shaft gis journaled in the framework and carries a pulley g', through which the power may be applied to the machine. Through this driving mechanism for the head it will be noticed that the length of stroke given to the sealing-head will be uniform and invariable, and therefore variations in the length of a quantity of bottles supposed 1 to be of equal length would result in breakage of the longer bottles unless some provision is made to avoid this. -made by sustaining the supporting-table K firmly and immovable in one position up to the point where the pressure applied to the bottle exceeds a certain predetermined de'- gree, when this sustaining means will be released -and the table permitted to yield sufticiently to prevent rupture of the bottle. For this purpose the table is sustained by a confined volume of liquid, preferably oil, in a cylinder h, supported in a bracket b2, projecting from the main standard b, the said confined liquid supporting a piston 7l, with which the table K is connected at its upper end. This piston or stem of the table is fitted nicely to the interior of the cylinder h to slide therein, and it is limited in its upward movement to hold the table at a given position bya shouli der 2, which abuts the flange of a hollow nut Z, screwed into the upper end of the cylinder' and fitted to the interior of the reduced upper end ot' the piston or stem. This nut is made in two parts in order to get it in place about the piston.

The lower head of the piston t' comprises a casting m, screwed -into the lower end thereof and having a depending extension with an Aopenin g m4 therethrough, which forms the escape-passage for the liquid from the lower chamber m6 of the cylinder h to the interior of the piston t' at the time that the pressure onthe bottle is to be relieved or prevented vfrom increasing beyond the predetermined degree. This escape-passage is controlled by a valve m, which tits over thel same and rests Such provision I have y upon a seat m5 on the cast head m,said valve having a guidestem projecting down into the passage m4 and being iitted to the seat, which is made within the flange m2 on the head.

The rim m2 is made of slightly-larger interior diameter than the outside diameter of the valve m', so that when the valve m is slightly raised by pressure from beneath on the smaller area m3 the pressure will act upon the whole or larger area of the valve m and quickly raise it above the annulus m2 for a quick discharge of the liquid through itland a quick release of the pressure on the bottle. So long as this valve is maintained on its seat the normal volume of liquid will be maintained i the chamber m6 below the piston t', and said piston will be sustained immovably to hold the table, with the bottle, in one position; but when the valve is open the liquid below the piston will be free to iow up through the escape-passage m4 into the interior of the piston t', and said piston can then move down, retracting the table and relieving the pressure. The valve is held seated by the rod o', having its lower end reduced and stepped into a socket in the valve,while its upper end is free to slide in a hollow guide o, screwthreaded into and projecting down from the table K within the hollow piston. This guide is shouldered on its outer side to afford a bearing for the upper end of a spring o2, the lower end of which bears on a collar owhich may be adjustably located on the rod o by the nuts o4 o5. The tendency of the spring is to force the rod down and to close the valve on its seat to keep the volume of liquid confined below the movable piston or stem in order to rigidly sustain the same, and by means of the adjustable collar and nuts the pressure of this spring may be regulated so that the valve will be held tightly closed to maintain the volume ofliquid below the piston for any predetermined pressure on the bottle; but as soon as this pressure is eX- ceeded the upward pressure of the liquid will Overcome the pressure of the valve-spring 02, and thus the valve will be opened and the table will yield to prevent the excessive pressure on the bottle. The quantity of liquid used is such as to cover the valve at all times,

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and the level of the liquid may be up to the line y y.

An air-hole is formed at 0c at the upper part of the piston. The piston, with the table, is returned upward to normal position after being depressed by a spring n3 in4 the lower chamber of the cylinder, said spring acting upon a flange of a cup or sleeve n', which is screwed to the lower end of the depending extension of the piston-head. The force of this spring is light and just sufficient to return the parts to normal position, and it offers no substantial resistance to the yielding of the table when the pressure on the bottle eX- ceeds the given degree, for as compared with the pressure necessary to complete the oper lof the seat of the valve m.

"ation of sealingfor cappingthe pressureofi this spring is inconsiderable and need not be l a conical valve-seat on the lower face of the piston-head. `The valve is of ring form, fitted to the exterior of the piston-head. extension, l

and it has a hollowT cylindrical portion also.

fitted to said extension to be guided thereby. It is pressed up by a light spring n2 to close the ports, and it is kept firmly closed by the upward pressure of the liquid in the chamber m6. AVhen the piston and table move upward, however, this valve opens, owing to the weight ofthe liquid in the hollow piston` and the suction from below,which is caused by the tendency to form a `vacuum in the chamber m6 when the piston rises.

In order to set the hydraulic pressure-con-` trolling means described to suit different classes and sizes of bottles-such, for instance, as the pint size, therquart size, &C.-

`the whole cylinder h, withthe table and piston, is vertically adjustable through the bracket b2 by means of a screwh, threaded through a bushing h2, held in a bearing on the base Z7. By turning the cylinder it, with the table, can be adjusted up and down and set in any desired position by the set-screw h3. Drain-holes p are formed through the table K, inclining outwardly, so as to discharge any waste away from the parts beneath.

The shaft g may be given a continuous ro-y tary movement at a slow Venough rate to permit of the removal and replacing ofthe bottle in the period of either one revolution or two or more. I do not wish to limit myself, however, to a continuously-moving shaftg, as any known clutch mechanism (not necessary to show) may be employed by which the revolution of the shaft and the movement of the head may be stopped while the bottle is A v being removed and a fresh one placed in position, such clutch being controlled by a suitable foot-lever.

I do not wish to limit myself to the arrangement described, in which the pressurehead is the movable part as obviously this arrangement, may be reversed, and the hydraulic cylinder, with the table' and attached parts, may be made movable. In either. case4 the action would be the same.

Vhile I have stated that the machine is adapted for applying the crown-cork and seal form of stopper, I donot, of course, limit myself in this respect, as the principles of` my invention may be embodied in machines adapted to work with other forms of Stoppers.

Having thus fully described my invention and in what manner it may be carried into ef` fect, what I claim is- Al. In combination in a bottle-sealing machine, a pressure-applying head, atable or rest for the bottle, means for moving one of said parts relatively to the other to obtain the desired pressure, and means for automatically limiting the application of pressure when a predetermined degree is reached, irrespective of the length of stroke of the movable part, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a bottle-sealing machine, a pressure-applying head, a table or rest for the bottle, means for moving one of said parts relatively to the other to obtain the desired pressure on the sealing medium and hydraulic controlling means for automatically limiting the application of pressure when a predetermined degree is reached, to compensate for variations in the lengthl of the bottles.

3. In combination in an automatically-op- 4. In combination in a bottle-sealing ma-l chine, a pressure-head, a table or rest for the bottle, means for moving one of said parts toward and from the other Vto obtain the sealing pressure and a fluid controlling means for limiting the application of pressure when a predetermined degree is reached, said means comprising a cylinder and piston supported by a confined volume of fluid therein, one of said parts being connected with and exposed `to the pressure from the sealing device and a valve confining said volume of fluid held under a determined pressure to release said volume of fluid when the predetermined pressure IOO IIO

is exceeded at the sealing device whereby the y connected controlling part will yield to relieve the pressure at the sealing device, substan-` tially as described.

5. In combination in a bottle-sealing machine, a pressure-head, a table'or rest for the bottle, means for giving one of said parts a relative movement, the piston connected with Y `ing it exceeds a predetermined degree whereby the said table may yield to limit the application of the sealing pressure without regard to thel length of stroke of the machine, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the pressure-head,

a table or rest for the bottle, means for giving one of said parts a movement toward and from the other, the piston connected with the table, a cylinder containing a confined volume of iuid supporting the piston to hold the table unyieldingly and a valve heldunder a predetermined pressure, carried by the piston and controlling the volume of the fiuid to release the same when the desired maximum pressure is exceeded at the sealing device, whereby the table may yield to limit the application of pressure, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the pressure-head, v

the table, with operating means for said pressure-head, the cylinder con taining a confined volume of fluid, a piston connected with the table and maintained in normal position by resting on said confined volume of fluid, an automatic valve carried by the piston for releasing the confined volume of Huid when the pressure transmitted from the table exceeds a predetermined amount, whereby the fluid may pass from the lower to the upper side of said piston, means for returning the piston to its upper position and the automatic return-valve to permit the iiuid to flow to the lower side of the piston when it is moved upwardly to normal position, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the sealing-head, the table, the piston connected thereto, the cylinder, the valve m' controlling a dischargeport in the piston-head, the hollow extension on the piston-head, the return-valve and spring therefor surrounding said extension and controlling return-ports through the piston-head and the spring in the cylinder for moving the piston upwardly to normal position, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the sealing-head, the table, the piston connected thereto, the cylinder, the valve m controlling a dischargeport in the piston-head, the hollow extension on the piston-head, the return-valve and spring therefor surrounding said extension and controlling return-ports through the piston-head, thecup-shaped sleeve inclosing the spring and the spring in the cylinder for moving the piston upwardly to normal position, said spring bearing upon a part of the cup'- shaped sleeve, substantially as described,

10. In combination, in abottle-sealing machine, a sealing-head, a table or rest for the bottle with means for moving one of said parts toward and from the other and a hydraulic device for automatically limiting the application of pressure at the sealing-head, consisting of a hollow cylinder partially filled with oil or other liquid, a hollow piston having closed upper and lower ends connected with the table and spring-controlled valve mechanism at l the lower end of the hollow piston adapted to open a passage for the escape of the liquid from the cylinder into the hollow piston when a given maximum pressure upon the bottle is reached and upon the release of said pressure to permit the liquid to flow back into the lower part of the cylinder, the said piston being returned to its normal position by a spring, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a bottle-sealing machine with the table and the sealing-head, a hydraulic controlling device for limiting the application of pressure when a predetermined degree is attained, consisting in a cylinder having a volume of liquid therein, a hollow piston connected with the table and moving in said cylinder, the lower head of said piston having a valve opening upward and a second valve opening downward and controlling lrespectively a port for the flow of the liquid from the cylinder into the hollow piston and return-ports for the ilow of the liquid from the hollow piston into the cylinder, a spring controlling the upper valve reacting against the upper closed part of the piston, a spring for controlling the lower valve reacting against an extension of the lower piston-head and a spring for returning the piston and the table to normal position reacting against the lower end of the cylinder,substantially as described.

12. In combination in a bottle-sealing machine, a sealing-head, a table for supporting the bottle with means for moving one of the said parts in relation to the other, and a hyhydraulic controlling means for limiting the application of pressure of the sealing device when a predetermined pressure is reached, said means comprising a piston and a cylinder with an automatic release-valve and adjusting devices for setting the table relatively to the sealing-head to suit dierent grades of bottles, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the sealing-head, a t-able or rest for the bottle, a hydraulic controlling device for limiting the application of pressure when a predetermined degree is reached consisting of a piston connected with the table, a cylinder holding a confined volume of liuid upon which the piston rests, a valve for automatically controlling said volume of fluid to allow the piston and table to recede when the predetermined pressure is exceeded and means for adjusting the hydraulic controlling means together with the table toward and from the sealing-head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM PAINTER. Witnesses:

JOHN T. HAWKINs, W. H. WHEELER.

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